Benny Sidelinger with Jeffrey Scott Mack

Welcome to the 2026 edition and the 12th annual Bellingham Folk Festival! The lights dim, and the room fades. A band hovers on stage right, but on the stage it's just Benny now. The ancient banjo begins to hum, then sing, then rip. With fingers moving impossibly fast, the music begins to vibrate and glow. Transitioning to another song he picks up a homemade and road-worn guitar. The slower, heartfelt ballad written for his first daughter is almost a relief. Subtly, the rest of the band adds layers to the sound one at a time. Benny's voice rings out, adding to the echoes of all the acts that have graced this stage. There is distance in that voice, and you can hear the miles and miles of road in the guitar, vibrating like smooth highways passing under weary tires.